Refrigerator cabinet construction



H. C. FOSTER REFRIGERATOR CABINET CONSTRUCTION April 15, 1941.

Filed July 31, 1937 Patented Apr. 15, 1941 REFRIGERATOR CABINET CONSTRUCTION Harry 0. Foster, Connersvil1e, Ind., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Reconstruction Finance Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation United States of the Application July 31, 1937, Serial No. 156,818

'7' Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerator cabinets and particularly refrigerator cabinets of -the household type intended to include mechanical refrigerating means for providing the cooling effect or natural cooling means such as ice.

The invention particularly relates to refrigerator cabinet construction of the type in which inner and outer metal shells or casings are supported in spaced relation with insulation therean annular frame between the shells or the elimination of such annular frame and the employment in lieu thereof of spacing elements of poor heat conducting properties.

The invention further contemplates a finishmetal liner I3 at or overlapping their respective edges is finishing trim or strip I5 commonly known as a breaker strip which may be of nonmetallic poor heat conducting material. The interior and the exterior of the refrigerator may be white in color, and the breaker strip may be black in color in order that a pleasing appearance be effected. I

Similarly the door I I has an exterior metal wall I4 and an interior metal liner I3 in spaced relation and may include some insulating material therebetween. Also similarly, a breaker strip I5 is provided as a finishing trim and as an insulating element in coacting relationship with the interior metal wall I4 of the door and its interior metal liner I3.

ing trim or breaker strip construction susceptible of easy application or removal'and particularly susceptible of being snapped in place.

Other objects and the nature and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a view in perspective of a refrigerator cabinet, with the door open disclosing an embodiment of my invention;

Figures 2, 3-and 4 are horizontal cross sections of part of the refrigerator cabinet taken at any edge of its open face, showing the breaker strip in partially installed and completely installed positions;

Figure 5 is a cross section of Figure 4 taken along lines 55 in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a cross section of Figure 3 taken along the lines 6-45 in the direction of the arrows shown;

' Figure 7 is a cross section of an end portion of the door showing the gasket and finishing trim ing the exterior metal wall I4- andthe interior The door II is hinged to the cabinet ID in the usual manner by hinges not shown and may be provided with a latch mechanism, not shown, a handle of which is depicted at I6 and which may be operated by pushing inwardly. A gasket I1 is provided on the door I I to coact with the open face of the refrigerator II) in order that cold air may not leak from the interior of the refrigerator when thedoor is closed and the refrigerator is in operation.

The refrigerator I0 is provided with an evaporator l8 having the usual connections with a mechanical unit located in the base of the refrigerator cabinet, details of which form no part of the present invention and hence are not shown here.

The interior of the refrigerator may be provided with removable shelves, shown generally has a central U-shaped relatively rigid portion 24 andtwo arm like resilient or spring extensions extending from each leg 25 of the U-shaped portion 24. The U-shaped portion 24 of the spring member 2I is bent out of alignment at 26 and the two arm like extensions 25 of the spring member 2I are hooked at their ends 21. The clip member 22 crosses the two legs ,of the U- shaped portion 24 of the spring member 2| and is fastened substantially at its center by means At suitable distances from each other, a pin-- rality of the unitary spring fastening units may be secured to breaker strip I5, enough of the fastening units being utilized to effect a. strong, neat structure. The breaker strip l may be molded in a single piece for direct insertion in place for cooperation with exterior metal wall H and interior metal liner l3 or it may be made up of a plurality of straight sections as illustrated in Figure 1 and corner pieces 28 may be provided for sealing the ends or joints of the portions or the sections of the breaker strip in order that a sealed, strong, neat and pleasing trim be presented to the housewife upon the opening of the door.

What has been said of the breaker strip and its fastening means for use with the cabinet iii is also applicable to that breaker strip utilized in a corresponding position on the door H, see, for example, Figure '7.

In Figure 2 the breaker strip is shown in a position prior to the actuation of the spring 2! which must take place before the said breaker strip will snap into its final position.

Figure 3 shows the breaker strip in almost the same position with the spring 2i compressed immediately prior to the snapping back of the spring within the metal wall exterior M for a complete installation.

II. This spacer means 32 may take the form of relatively small blocks or-a complete annular frame of a material such as wood or the like. The same arrangement may be utilized in the door Jamb construction within the cabinet l0.

Whether the breaker strip be formed of a. single piece, or be made up in sections, or whether it be applied to the refrigerator cabinet H], or to a corresponding position on the door member I I, it may be installed as follows:

The breaker strip i5 is placed in a position similar to that shown in Figure 2 with the hooked ends 21 of the spring member 2| resting against the edge of the interior metal liner 3. The breaker strip [5 is then pressed upwards as shown in Figure 3 and Figure 6 so'that the arms of the spring member 2! are in flexed position, better shown in Figure 6; the breaker strip may then be pressed forwardly slightly so that the lower end of the bent U-shaped portion 24 of the spring member 2| may rest upon the edge of exterior wall N; then the breaker strip may be further pushed forward and the spring member 2i released as shown in Figures 4 and 5, to its normal installed position. If a single, one piece, closed, rectangular shaped, finishing trim member i5 has been utilized, the corner pieces 28 may be omit- Figure 4 shows the breaker strip completely in 2! in expanded position with the ends 21 of arms.

25 of the spring member 2! in engaging position with the interior metal liner i3 and the bent U- I shaped portion 24 of the spring 2|- in engaging position with the exterior metal wall I4.

Figure 6 is another view showing the spring member 2! .in compressed position and illustrating clearly the flexing of the arm like members 25.

Referring to Figure 7 which is a cross section of a part of the door ll taken at its edge, the application of the breaker strip IS in accordance with this invention and further the particular location of the sealing gasket 11 in relation to the said breaker strip is clearly shown.

To the exterior metal wall H of the door'l I is fastened an extension 28 by suitable fastening means such as a screw, bolt or other fastening means 29. To this extension 28 is secured in some suitable manner a bracket 30. The interior metal liner I3 of the door may have indentations 3| between which and the bracket 30, may be located spacer blocks 32 secured to the bracket 30 and indentations 3|, by lag screws 33 or other suitable means.

The gasket I! may include a hollow bead like portion 34 and an extension 35 and may be secured to the door H by the breaker strip IS in the following manner: A gasket I1 is placed on the door in the position shown in Figure 7 with metal wall It to form a serviceable, long lastin light weight, and easily fabricated door member ted. 0n the other hand if a plurality of straight sections of finishing trim i5 have been applied as shown in Figure 1, then corner pieces 28 may be installed to finish and completely trim the structure. The pieces 28 may be fastened to the exterior trim sections by any suitable fastening means such as by screws, bolts, welding, etc.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in this device without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawing and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

I'claim:

1. In refrigerator cabinet construction, inner and outer walls having an elongated space between opposed marginal edges thereof, a sealing member such as a breaker strip or the like closing said space, and a spring locking clip connected to the inner side of said strip and having an inwardly bent substantially U-shaped portion engaging in back or rear of the marginal edge of one of said walls and opposed integral resilient inturned free end portions engaging and bearing against the edge of the opposed wall, the strip being applied by flexing the free end portions to permit the looped portion to first clear the opposed wall edge and then engage in back or rear of the latter.

2. In refrigerator cabinet construction, spaced inner and outer walls having an elongated space between opposed marginal edges thereof, and a sealing member such as a breaker strip or the like for closing said gap provided with a locking cilp in the former a piece of spring wire having an intermediate bent port-ion forming one end of the clip, said end engaging the marginal edge of one of said walls, and opposed free extremities having the ends thereof bearing against the edge of the opposed wall and exerting an equalized locking thrust on the clip, said free extremities inwardly of said ends being bent to give a spring action thereto and facilitate application of the clip. 3. In refrigerator cabinet construction, spaced inner and outer walls having an elongated space between opposed marginal edges thereof, a breaker strip or like closure member closing said space, and a locking clip connected to the inner side of said breaker strip, said clip being in the form of a length of spring wire having a looped portion engaging the marginal edge of one of said walls and opposed free extremities bent at divergent angles to facilitate flexing engaging the opposed edge of the wall, whereby when the strip is applied said free extremities may be pressed against the edge of one wall and flexed to permit the looped portion to clear the edge of the opposed wall and then engage in rear thereof to automatically lock the strip in, sealing position. I

4. In refrigerator cabinet construction, spaced inner and outer walls with insulation therebetween having an elongated space between opposed marginal edges thereof, and sealing means such as a breaker strip or the like closing said space having secured to the inner side thereof alockally and engaging the marginal edge of one of said walls and opposed free extremities bent divergently to facilitateiflexing and having ends in bearing engagement with the edge of the opposed marginal edges thereof, a strip of material providing a closure for said gap, and a locking clip. v connected to the inner side ofsaid strip and having a relatively rigid portion projecting laterally Y of the strip and engaging in'rear or back of one. vof said marginal edges and an oppositely projecting resilient portion engaging the other of said marginal edges and exerting a locking thrust for both edge-engaging portions of the clip, said strip being applied by flexing the resilient portion to permit the relatively rigid portion to first clear its coacting marginal wall edge and then. engage in back of the latter and said clip being concealed from exterior view by the strip.

6. In refrigerator cabinet construction, spaced walls having an elongated gap between Opposed marginal edges thereof, a strip of material providing a closure for said gap, alocking clip'anchored to the inner side of said strip, said clip being formed of spring metal a'nd'having one extremity thereof offset inwardly from the stripand ing clip in the form of a piece of spring wire with a substantially U-shaped portion projecting laterprojected laterally and engaging in rear or back of one of said marginal edges and an oppositely projected resilient portion having a free end engaging over the other of said marginal edges and exerting a locking thrust for both edge-engaging,

portions of the clip, said strip being applied by bringing the flexible end of the clip against its coacting marginal wall edge and flexing the resilient portion of the clip to permit the opposite offset portion to first clearits coacting marginal wall edge and then engage in back of the latter,

the clip being concealed from exterior view by the strip.

"7. As an article of manufacture, a breaker strip for use in refrigerator cabinet construction having secured to one side thereof a locking clip comprised of spring wire and having a substantially rigid Ll-shaped portion projected laterally toward one side of the strip and oppositely projected resilient spring legs terminating in free ends bent at an angle with respect to said spring legs, the clip being secured to the breaker strip at a point intermediate said U-shaped portion and said spring legs.

HARRY C. FOSTER. 

